Envelope banding machine



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ENVELOPE BANDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 14, 1957 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 IN VEN TOR. LEW/5 CZ Pinea- April 1951 L. c. PEARCE 2,977,734

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April 4, 1961 c. PEARCE ENVELOPE BANDING MACHINE 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Jan. 14, 195

INVENTOR. 45m: 6, P5494:

April 4, 1961 c. PEARCE 2,977,734

ENVELOPE BANDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 14, 1957 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 ff, FIG '26 l q: 10/; you al f6 25 I06 54 v IN V EN TOR. laws 6. P5425;

ENVELOPE BANDING MACHINE Lewis C. Pearce, Berea, ,Ohio, assignor to Pearce De- Y velopment Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation ofDhio Filed Jan. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 633,912 26 Claims. ((21. 53-198) This invention relates to envelope banding machines.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine adapted to have a plurality of single envelopes placed in the machine and having means to automatically form packages of envelopes ofa predetermined number and to form a sealed band of tape around the formed package of envelopes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an envelope banding machine having means to form packages of a predetermined number of envelopes and to form a band around the center of the formed packages, and in which means are further provided to adjust the band forming means to envelopes of varying widths and heights whereby the band is formed centrally of the envelope packages.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an envelope banding machine having an envelope storage magazine with means to count the envelopes out of said magazine one by one and having transfer means to transfer said counted out envelopes from said magazine to a banding station, said transfer means being operated in synchronism with said counting means, whereby said transfer means goes through a transfer, cycle once for each time a predetermined number of envelopes is counted out of said magazine. a

A yet further objectof the invention is to provide an envelope storage magazine with counting means for continuously counting out envelopes from said magazine one by one and advancing means in said magazine for urging said envelopes towards said counting means, said advancing means being synchronized with said counting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelope banding machine with an envelope storage magazine, means to count said envelopes out of said magazine, and means to form said counted out envelopes into a package adjacent to said magazine, whereby said package may then be transferred to a banding station.

Still another object is to provide vacuum operated means for pulling envelopes from a storage magazine, and means responsive to the failure of the vacuum operated means to pull an envelope to shut off the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an envelope banding machine with means to encircle packages of envelopes with a sealing tape, and means to feed a supply of tape to said encircling means whereby the tape is fed freely as the packages are encircled, and means to clamp the tape taut around the packages.

A still further object is to provide an envelope band- 'ing machine with means to encircle a package of enzine mounted on a first frame, transfer means mounted on a second frame for transferring a predetermined number of envelopes in a group to a banding station, and in which said second frame is transversely adjustable relative to said first frame, whereby different widths of envelopes may be handled, and handing and sealing means mounted on'a third frame to form a band around said group of envelopes, said third frame being carried by and vertically adjustable relative to said second frame -to accommodateenvelopes of different heights.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelope banding machine with an envelope storage magazine, means to count envelopes out of said magazine one by one, transfer means to carry a predetermined number of counted out envelopes from said magazine, and a disappearing stop means to hold said counted out envelopes in readiness for said transfer means, said disappearing stop means being synchronized with said transfer means to withdraw from holding envelope position when said transfer means operates to carry said envelopes from said magazine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tape sealing means having a heated portion adapted to heat seal a tape, a cooling means to cool said tape, and a knife means to sever the sealed tape intermediate the sealed portion of said tape. r

A still further object of the invention is to provide an envelope banding machine having an envelope storage magazine with means to continuously count out envelopes from said magazine one by one, transfer means to carry a predetermined number of envelopes from said magazine to a banding station, means at said banding station to'encircle said envelopes with a band of tape, and means to seal said encircled tape, and in which said counting means, said transfer means, and said encircling and sealing means are all operated from a common continuously operating power drive source, and further in which said transfer, encircling and sealing means all complete a single cycle of operation in the time said counting means counts out a predetermined number of envelopes.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a plan view, with portions cut away of the right-hand part of an envelope banding machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the left end part of the machine of Fig. l and is an-extension thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

' Fig. 4 is a schematic figure illustrating the interconnected drives for the operating elements of the machine.

- Fig. 4A is a continuation of the upper right-hand por Fig. 8 is a. transverse cross-sectional view taken along line8-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. ll is a cross-sectional view taken-along line 11'1-1' of Fig. l and looking from the front of the machine.

Fig. 12 is a cross'sectional detail taken along line 12-.--12 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a schematic, exploded view of the initial transport mechanism.

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional detail view of a portion of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is an elevational operational view of the transport mechanism.

Fig. 16 is a front elevational detail showing the counting wheel.

Fig. 17 is a side elevational detail showing the counting wheel.

Fig. 18 is a front elevational detail of the sealing wheel.

Fig. 19 is a detail of the vacuum responsive switches of the envelope counting mechanism and the operativ circuitry for the machine motor.

Fig. 20 is an elevational view taken along line 28-20 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 21 is a transverse elevational cross-sectional view taken along line 21-21 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 22 is an elevational cross-sectional view taken along line 22-22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken 23-23 of Fig. 22.

Fig. 24 is a cross-sectional detail taken 24-24 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional detail taken 25-25 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 26 is a cross-sectional detail taken 26-26 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 27 is a cross-sectional view taken 27-27 of Fig. 26.

Fig. 28 is a cross-sectional detail taken 28-28 of Fig. 1.

In general, there are three principal stations in the machine, the first being the storage or magazine station, generally indicated on Fig. 6 by the letter A, the second is the counting station, indicated by the letter B, and the third is the banding station, indicated by the letter C.

Also generally speaking, the machine includes five synchronously operating mechanisms for performing the specific functions of the machine, although these mechanisms are integrated with necessary auxiliary mechanisms to effect the complete operation of the machine.

The first of these mechanisms is the magazine at the station A, into which envelopes may be fed or stacked, either manually or mechanically. This magazine includes an envelope feeding mechanism which continuously urges the stacked envelopes longitudinally and horizontally of the machine toward the counting station B.

The second of the operating mechanisms is the counting mechanism at station B, which operates continuously to count out envelopes from the magazine one by one, so that a package of envelopes of the desired number is formed, and to condition the package so that it may be operated upon by the third of the operating mechanisms, which is the transfer mechanism, positioned generally intermediate the counting station B and the banding station C.

This third, or transfer, mechanism removes the package of envelopes from the counting station B, and moves the package as a unit into a position whereby the pack age may be banded together at the banding station.

The fourth mechanism, at the banding station C, operates to form a band of tape around the package, and then seals the band of tape and cuts the sealed band so that the package is complete.

The fifth mechanism is the tape feeding mechanism which operates to unroll ribbon of banding tape from a supply roll in intermittent steps, the periodicity of these steps being in synchronization with the cycling of the banding mechanism, so that tape may be freely applied to the packages of envelopes as the tape is encircled around the envelope package by the banding mechanism.

In order that the inter-relationship of the various mechanisms of the machine may be made, more clear,

along line along line along line along line along line along line 4 reference is now made to Figs. 4 and 4A. These figures illustrate in a diagrammatic fashion the manner in which the various mechanisms of the device are all driven from a single power source so that they will operate in synchronism with one another.

All of the mechanisms of the machine are connected to be driven by a single main drive motor 9 coupled by drive belt 19 to pulley 11 mounted on shaft 12. Bevel gear 13, fixed to shaft 12, is in driving engagement with bevel gear 14, fixed to shaft 16, to drive gears 17 and 18, fixed thereto.

Gear 18 is in meshing engagement with gear 19, mounted on shaft 21. Cam 22 is fixed to one end of shaft 21, which also carries gear 23, and a set of earns 24 at the other end thereof.

As cam 22 rotates, it imparts a reciprocatory motion to link system 26, to impart a ratchet drive to double pulley 27. This latter pulley is connected by drive belts to drive pulleys 28 and 29. Pulley 28, fixed to shaft 31, will thus drive the two bevel gears 32 and 33, fixed to shaft 31. Bevel gear 32 is in meshing engagement with bevel gear 34 fixed to shaft 36, which carries bevel gear 37 at the other end thereof, this latter gear being in meshing engagement with bevel gear 38, mounted on roller 39 to provide a drive for one of the vertical feed belts 41. Similarly, gear 33 is in driving engagement with bevel gear 42, shaft 43, bevel gear 44, bevel gear 46, roller 47 to drive the other vertical feed belt 48.

The other pulley 29, driven by double pulley 27, is fixed to shaft 51 to provide a drive for the horizontal feed belt drive roller 52 and the horizontal feed belts 53 driven thereby.

Returning to camshaft 2 1, gear 23, fixed thereto, is in driving engagement with gear 54, to drive worm gear 56 fixed to the envelope advancing, or counting, wheel 57.

Also driven by shaft 16, through gear 17 fixed thereto, is idler gear 58 fixed at one end of shaft 59, and gear 61, fixed to the other end thereof. Drive is transmitted through intermeshed gears 62 and 63 to drive shaft 64, having three drive gears, 66, 67 and 68 fixed thereto.

Drive gear 67 transmits its drive through intermeshed gears 69 and 71 to shaft 72 which carries the kick-out cam 73 at the other end thereof.

Drive gear 68 is in driving engagement with gear 74, fixed to camshaft 76. Cam 77, mounted on end of camshaft 76, operates to provide a reciprocatory motion to gear segment 78, in mesh with gear 79, fixed to shaft 81, so that this shaft is provided with an oscillating movement during operation of the machine. This movement is transmitted through bevel gears '82 and 83, shaft 84, bevel gears 86 and 87 to the upper shaft 88.

A set of earns 89 is fixed to the other end of camshaft 76 to provide a drive source for the envelope transfer mechanism, to be later described.

Drive gear 66, fixed to shaft 64, is in driving engagement with bevel gear 91, fixed to the universal drive shaft 92, carrying bevel gear 93 at the other end thereof, to transmit rotational movement through the intermeshed bevel gear 94, fixed to shaft 96. Bevel gears 97 and 98 transmit rotational motion to shaft 99 having the sealing wheel 101 mounted thereon.

A first cam 102 is mounted on shaft 96 to impart a vertical reciprocatory motion through link system 103 to rack 104.

A second cam 108, also mounted on shaft 97, imparts a reciprocating movement through rack 109, pinion gear 111 and rack 112, to provide a reciprocatory movement to the envelope holding means 113 (not shown on this figure). v

This same cam 108 also imparts a reciprocatory movement to rack 114, tothereby oscillate pinion gear 116 and shaft 117. A second pinion gear 118 carried on shaft 117 imparts a reciprocatory movement to rack 119.

Referring to Fig. 4A, a friction disc assembly 121 is also mounted on shaft 117 to impart a reciprocatory movement through links 122 and 123 to tape brake the machine may now be described in detail. 1

The magazine feeding mechanism The magazine, indicated generally in Figs. 2, 3 and 8 by the letter A, includes an elongated horizontal trough 150, extending longitudinally of the machine. This trough 150 is of rectangular cross-section and is formed of a bottom wall'151, a fixed outer side wall 152, and a laterally adjust-able side wall 153. The lateral spacing between the' side walls is adjusted to be slightly greater than the length of the envelopes 154 to be packaged. By adjusting the position of the side wall 153, envelopes of various sizes may be accommodated.

It is intended thatthe envelopes be stacked or fedinto the trough 150 in an upright condition. To feed the envelopes toward the counting station B, endless feed belts 53 are provided which are mounted on transverse horizontal rollers 52 and 52a. The upper flights 53a of these feed belts overlie the bottom wall 151 to engage the bottom edges of the envelopes stacked in the trough to feed the same forwardly toward the counting station B.

To aid the belts 53 in feeding the envelopes, a pair of endless feed belts 41 and 48 are arranged on opposite sides of the trough in advance of station B, to engage the opposite sides of the envelopes and effect the final feed thereof to the counting station. The belts 41 and 48 are driven intermittently at a speed suflicient to maintain an ample supply of envelopes at the counting'station and to urge them forwardly at that point.

As seen in Figs. and 2, belt 41 is mounted on two rollers 39 and 39a. Roller 39 is journaled on shaft 156 which is fixed to a transversely adjustable support plate 157. A cap nut 158v prevents the roller 39 from riding up on the shaft 156, and thus keeps the bevel gear 30,

fixed to roller 39, in meshing engagement with bevel gear 37. Roller 39a is mounted for free rotative movement on shaft 159, which is also mounted on support plate 157.

A belt backing plate 161 is disposed in back of the envelope-contacting portion of belt 41, the plate 161 being slidably mounted for vertical movement on support 162, in turn fixed to the movable support plate 157. Thebacking plate 161 carries thereon two laterally extending pins 163 and 164, disposed above and below the feed belt 41. If it is desired to change to an envelope of a different height, the belt 41may be moved upwardly or downwardly by sliding the backing plate 161 in a corresponding direction on support 162, and the pins 163 and 164 will force the belt 41 to move upwardly or downwardly on the rollers 39 and 39a, so that the final height of the belt 41 above the bottom wall of trough 150 will be approximately in the center of the envelope.

The backing plate 161 extends beyond roller 39a, forming two parallel extension arms 161a and 161b, with the central portion cut out along the line 161c to allow the belt 41 to pass around the roller 39a. These extension arms serve as a vertical guide to the envelopes once they have passed the roller 39a under the drive of the feed belt 41.

The other feed belt, 48, is mounted in a similar manner, on rollers 47 and 47a, with a backing plate 166 mounted for vertical movement on support 167 fixed to the frame of the machine.

The side wall 153 of trough 50 and feed belt 41 are adjustable transversely of the machine in the following manner. As has been stated, these elements are mounted on a support plate 157, and thus if this plate is moved transversely extending racks 168a, 168b and 168s! in meshing engagement, one to each rack, are three pinion gears 169a, 16% and 1690, all fixed to a common shaft 171 mounted in bearings 172a, 172b and 172a. The shaft 171 has a manually operable handle 173 fixed thereto, whereby rotation of the handle will simultaneously rotate the pinion gears 169a, 16% and 1690, to move the racks 168a, 168b and 168s equally to maintain the parallel relationship of the side walls 152 and 153 of the trough 150 as the side wall 153 is moved by the racks. The bevel gear 32, which provides the drive for feed belt 41, is adapted to move longitudinally of shaft 31, as the bevel gear 32 has an internal key (not shown) which rides within the longitudinal keyway 31a formed in shaft 31. Thus, as the adjustable side wall 153 is moved, the bevel gear 32 will slide longitudinally on shaft 31 without an interruption in the drive between shaft 31 and gear 32. V

As has been pointed out above, both of the two feed belt systems obtain their drive from a double pulley 27 which is driven by a reciprocating link mechanism 26 engaged by cam 22 mounted on drive shaft 21. The manner in which this drive is delivered to the feed belts is illustrated in Fig. 3. Cam 22, mounted on shaft 21, engages the vertical link 176 which has its upper end pivotally connected to link 177 having its other end pivotally mounted on the frame 5 of the machine. The lower end of link 17-6 is secured to one end of the horizontal drive r'od 178,-the other end of which carries a I pivot support member-179. Link 181, having its upper end loosely mounted on pulley shaft 182 fixed to the frame of the machine, is pivotally connected at its lower end to the pivot support member 179. Spring 183 constantly urges the drive rod 178 to the right, as seen in Fig. 2. Link 181 carries a ratchet arm 184, spring biased into engagement with ratchet teeth 186 mounted on pulley 27. In operation, the cam 22 will force the drive rod to the left on each rotation of shaft 21, and this movement will force the link 181 to pivot around the pulley shaft 182 in a-clockwise direction.

This motion will cause the ratchet arm 184 to force the engaged ratchet teeth 186 attached to pulley 27 in a clockwise direction. When the drive rod 178 returns tothe right under the force of spring 182, the ratchet arm 184 will ride over the ratchet teeth 186 to engage another one of said teeth for the next cycle of operation. This intermittent drive of pulley 27 is transmitted by belt 187 to pulley 28, and by belt 188 to pulley 29, and then to the horizontal and vertical feed belts 53, 41 and 48. As will be seen, this intermittent operation 'of the feed belts is synchronized to the removal of envelopes from the magazine, and thus the amount of rubbing of the feed belts against stationary envelopes is largely eliminated, which would otherwise be present if the envelopes were held against forward motion while the feed belts continually moved to urge the envelopes in the forward direction.

The counting mechanism The mechanism for counting the envelopes from the magazine is shown in Figs. 5 and 8. In general, the machineisprovided with a pair of sucker rods which alternatively fasten themselves by vacuum suction to the leading envelope in the magazine and pull the entransversely of the machine, the width of thetrough velope forwardly toa position whereby, after a predetermined number of envelopes has been so moved,

they may be carried as a unit to the banding station. v

Assisting the sucker rods is a helical counting wheel which, through its rotation, permits only one envelope to be advanced at a time by the sucker rods.

The sucker rod'201, shown in Fig. 5 as extending longitudinally of and underneath the envelope magazine 150, is provided at its right end with a sucker head 202. This head has a; passage 203 therethrough to. which a flexible tube 204 is attached from a source of vacuum to gamma provide vacuum for the sucker head. The passage 203 terminates on theface 206 of the sucker head so that when the sucker head is moved upwardly into engagement with an envelope 154, the envelope may cover the passage 203 and the vacuum in the passage will hold the envelope to the sucker head so that a rightward movement of the sucker head will pull the envelope with it.

The left end of the sucker rod 201 has a sliding fit through a support block 207, mounted for pivotal movement on shaft 208 fixed to the frame of the machine. A washer 209 mounted on shaft 208 spaces the support block 207 from the support block 207a of the other sucker arm 201a. The left end of sucker arm 201terminates in a roller 211 engaged by a block 212, mounted on lever 213. The lever 213 is pivotally mounted on shaft 214 fixed to frame 5 of the machine and has a forward extending portion 216 terminating in a roller 217, this roller being held against cam 218 of cam group 24 under the force of spring 219.

The right end of the sucker arm 201 is provided with a bracket member 221 fixed to the sucker arm by screw 222. Tension spring 223 extends from the support block 207 to the bracket 221 to urge the sucker arm 201 in a leftward direction so that the sucker arm roller 211 is in constant engagement with the lever block 212.

In operation, as shaft 21 rotates, cam 218 will force the lever 213 to oscillate about the pivot shaft 214, thus imparting a reciprocating motion to the sucker arm 201, to move this arm to the right and then to the left once for each rotation of shaft 21.

This movement to the right of the sucker arm will pull an envelope from the magazine. For the sucker arm to return to pick up another envelope, it is necessary that the sucker headmove downwardly below the envelope before it may return. This is accomplished in the following manner. The sucker arm bracket 221 has pivotally connected thereto a link 224, the lower end of this link being pivotally connected to link 226, pivotally mounted on shaft 214. Spring 227, fixed to link 226 and pin 228 of frame 5, urges link 226 in an upward direction. Link 226 also carries a cam follower 229 held by spring 227 against cam 231 of cam group 24.

Thus, as shaft 21 rotates, cam 231 and cam follower 229 cause the link 226 to oscillate around pivot shaft 214, and link 224 imparts an upward and downward reciprocatory movement to sucker arm bracket 221. The cams 218 and 231 are designed so that a full cycle of movement of the sucker head 202 is from left to right on a constant level in contact with the envelope, then downwardly below the envelope, leftwardly below the bottom of the envelope just moved and then upwardly to engage a new envelope.

A second sucker arm 201a is mounted for identical movement by elements corresponding to the elements described above and being designated by the same reference numbers, with the subscript a appended thereto. The two sucker arms 201 and 201a are operated by their respective cams 218, 231 and 218a, 231a, so that the two sucker arms are 180 out of phase with one another. This, enables one sucker arm to be moving one envelope to the right while the second sucker arm is moving leftwardly underneath the moving envelope into a position to engage the next envelope.

As the envelopes 154 are fed in the magazine past the feed rollers 39a and 47a they are arrested from further forward motion by coming into engagement with the counting wheel 57, whose shaft 236 is mounted longitudinally below the magazine. The counting wheel shaft 236 has fixed thereto a worm gear 56 by which a rotative drive is imparted upon the wheel 57, through idler gear 54 in meshing engagement with gear 23 mounted on shaft 21.

The-counting'wheel 57, more fully illustrated in Figs. 1 and. 1 ha e ascia?! against which the e 8 velopes are urged by the feed belts 41 and 48. The wheel 57 has a quarter section removed, as at 238, with the leading edge 239 being provided with a forwardly inclined cam face 241, and the trailing edge 242 being provided with a rearwardly inclined cam face 243, so that the wheel 57 has a helical action as it rotates.

The manner of operation of the counting wheel 57 may best be explained in reference to Fig. 8. The sucker head 202 is synchronized to the rotation of the counter wheel so that the sucker head will be in engagement with an envelope and just starting to pull the envelope from the magazine when the leading edge 239 of the wheel is slightly below the bottom edge of the envelope. The trailing edge 242 of the wheel will be in contact with the envelopes to prevent their forward movement, and the sucker arm will pull on the first envelope in the magazine sufficiently so that the leading edge of the wheel will enter between the envelope being pulled by the sucker head 202 and the next envelope. Continued rotation of the Wheel will free the first envelope in a peeling manner, for unimpeded movement by the sucker head, while the remaining envelopes will be held in place by the rear face 237 of the wheel. The sucker arms 201 and 201a are operated by the same drive shaft 21 as is the counting wheel 57 and thus the operations of these elements are easily synchronized to one another. Since for each rotation of the drive shaft 21 each sucker arm moves through a complete cycle, the wheel 57 must rotate twice for one rotation of the drive shaft 21, to allow one envelope to be counted out of the magazine by the wheel under the influence of each sucker arm. As explained previously, the drive shaft 21 is driven by drive shaft 16, in turn directly related to the main belt drive of the machine. As the machine is in operation, envelopes are fed from the magazine at a constant rate determined by the rotation of the main drive shaft 16 and its gear relation to drive shaft 21.

The envelopes 154, as they are urged forwardly by the feed belts 41 and 48, pass under the upper guide member, indicated generally at 245, which is adjusted to be but slightly spaced above the top of the envelopes 154. The support guide member 245 has a plurality of longitudinally disposed guide bars 246, each mounted on a transverse carrier arm 247, the latter being fixed to a vertically adjustable carriage 248 mounted for vertical sliding movement on the upright member 249 of frame 5a. Carriage 248 has an internally threaded element 251 fixed thereto through which the threaded adjustment rod 252 extends. The upper end of the adjustment rod is supported in collar 253- (Fig. 6) mounted on frame member 249 to permit rotative movement of the adjustment rod without vertical movement thereof. A manually operable handle 254 fastened to the rod enables an operator to rotate the rod to move the carriage 248 upwardly and downwardly, as desired.

Each guide bar 246 is provided with a stop member 256 to hold the top of the envelope as they are counted out of the magazine, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and thus prevents them from falling forwardly before they are carried to the banding station.

Further included in the counting mechanism is the auxiliary vacuum valving mechanism. As each sucker head is in contact with an envelope for only about a quarter of its cycle of operation, it is necessary to provide a valve arrangement to limit the application of suction to such times as the sucker head passage 203 is blocked by an envelope. This is provided as follows. A valve port plate 257 is loosely mounted on drive shaft 21, so that the drive shaft may rotate freely therethrough. Pin 258 mounted on valve port plate 257 passes through frame member 5 of the machine to hold the valve port plate against rotation with shaft 21 while yet allowing a limited longitudinal movement on shaft 21. The valve port plate 257 has a first set of passages therethrough, 26 1 and 2162, each terminating at the left face of the plate are provided in valve port plate 257, passage 261a being connected to flexible tube 204a and thus to sucker head 202a, and passage 262a being connected to conduit 264a and thus to the source of vacuum.

Fixed to shaft 21 is the slide valve member 266, having a face 267 in rotative sliding contact with face 263 of the valve port plate 257. The valve member 266 has a groove 268 formed on the face 267, enabling the valve port passages 261 and 262 to be placed in communication with each other when both passages are in registration with the groove 268. Similarly, on further rotation, the groove 268 will serve to place passages 261a and 262a in communication with each other. Compression-spring 269 forces the valve port plate 257 into firm contact with valve member 266 to prevent air leakage between the contacting faces thereof.

As the valve member 266 rotates on shaft 21, vacuum will be applied alternately to the sucker head flexible tubes 204 and 204a, the length of such application being determined by the length of groove 268, and the vacuum will be applied to the sucker heads 202 and 202a for the period in which they move envelopes from the magazine. Valve member 266 is positioned on shaft 21 so that vacuum is applied to the sucker heads as they first come into contact with the envelopes to be moved; a

In addition, means are provided to shut off the machine in case the vacuum applied to the sucker heads is interrupted, as, for example, if the magazine runs out of envelopes, or if the sucker heads cannot move an'envelope from the magazine. Two pressure responsive switches 271 and 271a are provided, as illustrated in Fig. 19. Switch 2-71a is connected by conduit 272a to conduit 264a leading to the source of vacuum. The vacuum in conduit 264a communicates through conduit 272a to the lower chamber 273a of switch 271a, and will cause diaphragm 274a to flex downwardly against the bias of spring 276a to carry the bridging contact bar 277a, fixed to the diaphragm, out of engagement with the switch contacts 278a and 279a. If at any time the vacuum in the lower chamber 273a fails, spring-276a will force the diaphragm upwardly, allowing the contacts to be shorted by the contact bar 277a.

Pressure-responsive switch 271 is connected by conduit 272 to conduit 264 in the same manner, and operates in the same manner as pressure-responsive switch 271a.

Microswitches 28 1 and 281a are also provided, and positioned to be engaged by cam 282, mounted on drive shaft 21. Cam 282 is positioned on drive shaft 21 so that it will close microswitch 281 during the period when vacuumwill be applied through conduit 264 to sucker head 202, as explained above, and cam 282 will close microswitch 281a during the period when vacuum will be applied through conduit 264a to sucker head 202a.

Terminals 279 and 279a of the pressure-responsive switches 271 and 271a are electrically connected together to one terminal 283 of a voltage source. Terminal 278 is connected through microswitch 281 to one side of a solenoid 284, and terminal 278a is connected through microswitch 281a to the same side of solenoid 284, the other. side of the solenoid being connected to the other terminal-286 of the voltage source. The main drive motor 9 is also connected to thevoltage source terminals 283 through a normally closed switch 287 which is adapted to open if the solenoid actuator 284 is energized, and

the main drive motor 9 is also connected to the other voltage source terminal 286.

When motor 9 is energized from terminals 283 and 286, shaft 21 will be driven so that cam 282 will alternately closethe microswitches 281 and 281a. Under normal operating conditions, a vacuum will be applied to 10 conduits 264 and 264a to cause the pressure-responsive switches 271 and 271a to assume an open circuit position. If the machine is operating properly, vacuum will be applied to the sucker heads 202 and 202a only when such heads are covered by an envelope, and thus the vacuum will not be broken. If for some reason one of the sucker heads does not engage an envelope when vacuum is being applied to the sucker head, asfor example sucker head 202, air will enter the sucker head 202 and be drawn through passage 203, tube 204, valve port plate passage 261, valve member groove 268, valve port passage 262, into conduit 264, and into chamber 273 of pressure-responsive switch 271 to cause this switch to close. At the same time, cam 282 will close the microswitch 281 and a complete circuit will be made to energize solenoid 284 which then opens switch 287 to deenergize the drive motor,- and shut off the machine.

Thus,'if for any reason one of the sucker heads 202 or 202a fails to pick up an envelope while forming a package to be handed, the machine will automatically stop, so that envelope packages containing less than the desired number of envelopes will not be formed.

The transfer mechanism in general, the transfer mechanism operates in synchronization with the counting mechanism, just described, to carry a predetermined number of envelopes from the constantly advancing series of envelopes being counted from the magazine. Referring to Fig. 4, the transfer mechanism is operated, as has been explained, from cam shaft' 76, driven by drive shaft 64, which, in turn, is driven in synchronization with the main' drive shaft 16 through the gear train 58, 61, 62 and 63. The transfer mechanism will go through a complete cycle for a single revolution of camshaft 76, and the number of envelopes transferred by this mechanism will be dependent upon the number of revolutions of camshaft 21 which counts the envelopes out of the magazine, to each revolution of camshaft 76. This number of revolutions of camshaft 21 may be varied by changing the gear ratios of gears 61, 62 and 63 which couple the drive shafts 16 and 64 together.

For example, each full revolution of camshaft 21 (which actuates the sucker rods) will count two envelopes from the magazine. If it is desired to band the envelopes into packages of six envelopes, the gear train 61, 62 and 63 is chosen so that camshaft 76 will rotate through a single revolution during the time camshaft 21 rotates through three revolutions. In this manner, each cycle of operation ofthe transfer mechanism will pick up the six envelopes counted from the magazine during the cycle of the transfer mechanism. If it is desired to change the number of envelopes in the packages, this may be done by merely changing the overall gear ratio between the drive shafts 16 and 64, so that the desired number of envelopes will be counted out of the magazine during the time it takes for the transfer mechanism to perform a complete cycle of operation.

The transfer operation is effected in two stages, with the envelopes being first moved from adjacent the envelope magazine to an intermediate position, and then being carried from this position to the banding station.

The mechanism for moving .the envelopes from the envelope magazine to the intermediate position is best illustrated in Figs. 5, 9, 13 and 15. In general, as illustrated in Fig. 15, a picker bar 301 is provided to operate in synchronization with the counting mechanism so that it will rise up from a lower position as shown in Fig. 5,

' envelopes between the picker bar and the clamp bar. The

1 1 shown in Fig. 15. The picker bar 301 is then lowered below the bottom of the envelopes and rotated in a counterclockwise direction to the position as shown in Fig. to complete the cycle. The manner in which this motion is effected will now be described.

The initial transport mechanism may be best seen in Fig. 13 representing an exploded view of the working parts, and Figs. 15 and 5 illustrating the same parts in their assembled relationship.

Picker bar 301 is fixed at its lower end to shaft 303 pivotally mounted in parallel links 304 and 304a. The other ends of these links are fixedly mounted on shaft 306 which is rotatably mounted on frame 5a. Shaft 306 also has fixedly mount d thereon crank arm 307 pivotally connected by link 30% to lever arm 309. This lever arm is rotatively mounted on shaft 311, fixed to frame 5a, and has a pin 312 to which tension spring 313 is attached to provide an upward bias to the lever arm, and a cam follower 3 14. The lever arm 308 is also shown in Fig. 14 in operative relationship to cam 89c mounted on'camshaft 76.

Cam 89c effects the up and down movement of the picker bar 301 in the following manner. As the cam 89c rotates in a continuous clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 14, the cam follower on lever arm 309 will move upwardly under the influence of spring 313, to cause the crank arm 307 to rotate shaft 306 in a clockwise direction. This motion will cause the links 304 and 30 411 to pivot in a clockwise direction, forcing shaft 303 and the attached picker bar upwardly. As the cam 89c continues to rotate, cam follower 314 will be forced downwardly and the crank arm 307, shaft 306 and links 304 and 304a will rotate in a counterclockwise direction to lower the picker bar 301 to its original position. The picker bar 301 will thus move vertically through one cycle of upward and downward movement for a single revolution of cam 89c.

The picker bar shaft 303 has crank arm 316 fixed thereon, carrying link 317 pivotally mounted thereon. Crank arm 316 also has an angle bracket 318 fixed thereto, enabling compression spring 319 to be inserted between link 317 and the bracket 318. Link 317 is provided with a generally square block 321 pivotally mounted thereon at its upper end, the block 321 being adapted to slide vertically within the channel 322 of bracket 323.

Bracket 323 has two-holes 324 and 324a therethrough to receive pins 326 and 326a mounted on the upper ends of lever 327 and link 327a, respectively.

Link 327a is pivotally connected at its lower end to the frame 5a, and lever arm 327 is freely and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to the clamp bar shaft 328, this shaft being rotatively mounted in frame 5a. Aflixed to the lower end of lever arm 327 is a cam follower 329 held against cam 3% by tension spring 331. Cam 89b is mounted on the same camshaft 76 as is cam 390.

In operation of the machine, as illustrated in Fig. 13, the cam 8% will be rotating in a clockwise direction, and cam follower 329 will be moved leftwardly against the bias of spring 331 to cause the lever arm 327 to pivot about shaft 328 in a clockwise direction. Pin 326 will thus move the bracket 323 to the right, the bracket being held in a horizontal position by link 327a. Block 321, riding in bracket channel 322, will cause the crank arm assembly 316 and 317 to rotate in a clockwise direction. As the picker bar shaft 303 is fixed to the lower end of crank arm 316, the rotation of the crank arm will be transmitted to shaft 303 and thus to the picker bar 301 fixed thereto, to rotate the picker bar to the dotted position of Fig. 15.

Continued rotation of cam 8% will cause the spring 331 to move the lever arm 327 back to its original position, to return the picker bar to its original leftward position.

Thus, cam 89c will cause the picker bar 301 to move vertically up and down for each rotation of cam 89c, and

cam 89b will cause the picker bar 301 to move horizontally to the right and then to the left, for each rotation of cam 89b. The combined action of these two cams thus causes the top of the picker bar 301 to describe a roughly rectangular path.

Spring 319 in crank arm assembly 316, 317 allows some play of the picker bar 301 as it comes to the dotted position shown in Fig. 15. If the picker bar 301 is held stationary at the dotted position, as for example by a thick package of envelopes, the forced rightward movement of bracket 323 will be taken up by spring 319 of the picker bar crank arm 316.

As has been stated, the clamp bar 302 moves against the envelopes held by the picker bar, as illustrated in Fig. 15, so that the package of envelopes may be pulled from the stop member 256 of the upper guide bars 246. The manner in which the clamp bar is operated will be now described, again with particular reference to Fig. 13.

Mounted for free rotative movement on clamp bar shaft 328 is lever arm 336, having cam follower 337 held against cam 89a by the force of tension spring 338. Crank arm 339 is fixed to shaft 328 and has a forwardly extending lip 341 to engage one end of compression spring 342, the other end being held against the upper end of lever arm 336.

In operation, as cam 89a, also mounted on camshaft 76, rotates in a clockwise direction, spring 338 will cause cam follower 337 to move rightwardly to engage the flat side of cam 89a, to cause the lever arm 336 to pivot in a clockwise direction, in turn exerting through compression spring 342 a rotative force to crank arm 339, moving the clamp bar shaft 328 and clamp bar 302 fixed thereto, in a counterclockwise direction to clamp the envelopes. Spring 342 is of a lesser strength than spring 338 and permits some relatively free play of crank arm 339 in relation to lever arm 336 to enable the clamp bar 302 to' adjust to different thicknesses of envelope packages.

The picker bar 301 is bifurcated at its lower end to form two legs 301a and 301b through which the clamp bar 302 extends, so that the clamp head 343 will be prevented from lateral movement with respect to the picker bar 301.

As the picker bar 301 moves rightwardly, the clamp bar 302 moves in conjunction with the picker bar so that the package of envelopes is clamped therebetween during such movement. As the clamp bar 302, fixed on shaft 328, is fixed against any but rotative movement to the frame 511, the clockwise rotation of the clamp bar 302 causes the clamp head 343 to move gradually downwardly, so that at its rightward limit of travel, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 15, the clamp head 343 is below the bottom of the envelopes, so that they may be moved to the banding station C. Continued rotation of cam 89a will then return the clamp bar to the initial position, as shown in Fig. 5.

Thus, the combined actions of the picker bar 301 and clamp bar 302 serve to move the counted out envelopes from the magazine to the intermediate position shown in dotted line in Fig. 15. At this point the envelopes are held against forward movement by coming to rest against lower stop member 351 rigidly connected to lower crank arm assembly 352, and against the upper stop member 351a rigidly connected to the upper crank arm assembly 352a. Crank arm assembly 352 is fixed on shaft 81 for oscillatory movement induced by the rotation of camshaft 76, and crank arm 352a is fixed on shaft 88 for oscillatory movement also induced by camshaft 76.

As best illustrated in Fig. 10, earn 77, mounted on camshaft 76, is positioned to engage cam follower 353, mounted on pin 351, fixed to the lower portion 78a of gear segment 78, which is pivotally mounted on shaft 356 fixed to frame 5a. Tension spring 357 is provided to hold cam follower 353 in contact with cam 77. The upper portion 78b of gear segment 78 is pivotally 

